Category: Latest News

5 myths about tutoring

Posted on by Claire Hewson

Are you considering home tuition for your child, but you have concerns about it? In this article we share 5 myths about tutoring and address the worries we hear from parents most often.

The reality is that a home tutor can boost a child’s confidence so they develop a ‘can do’ attitude towards learning that lasts a lifetime.

At TutorMyKids all our tutors are qualified, experienced teachers. They are experts in helping all children to flourish and achieve the success they deserve.

1. Tutoring is too expensive for us

This is a concern for many parents. At TutorMyKids we offer different options. Your child can receive tutoring every week or alternate weeks. They can have a one-off tutoring session or a short burst of catch-up/booster tuition. You can also pay by direct debit to spread the cost.

However, we do understand that our fees are not affordable for every family, especially with the cost-of-living crisis. We offer high quality tuition with qualified teachers who have been personally interviewed by Rachel Law who matches them to the individual needs of the student, and our tuition costs reflect this.

For an affordable option, you can post on your local Facebook page to find a qualified teacher who may be able to help. We suggest that you find someone who is recommended by several different parents. It is also a good idea to seek references from others families the tutor has helped, and to make sure they have an up-to-date DBS check.

We strongly recommend that you meet the tutor beforehand to make sure they are the right person to support your child. It is not only the tutor’s academic qualifications that are important, the dynamic between the tutor and the student must also be right.

2. Tutoring will take my child away from fun activities

Children don’t receive tuition every day, so there’s plenty of time for different activities like sports clubs, learning an instrument, playing and spending time with friends. It’s important for children’s physical and mental health that they know how to balance extra-curricular activities with academic studies.

Our tutors strongly believe that children learn best when they are enjoying themselves. Tutoring isn’t like being at school because sessions are personalised so they’re engaging to the individual child.

At TutorMyKids we make learning interactive by encouraging children to discuss their ideas, ask questions and be actively involved. Even if the topic is the same across a few sessions our tutors vary the way they teach. Your child might learn through games and quizzes, physical movement, manipulating objects, watching video clips and so much more!

3. It will stop my child from learning independently

Some parents worry that by having a tutor their child will think they can’t learn by themselves. However, our tutors encourage children to become more independent learners.

We teach children learning techniques that work best for them. They can then employ these techniques when they are studying by themselves which makes independent learning more effective.

Since our tutors get to know each child on a one-to-one basis (unlike in school where teachers have 30 children to teach at once) they discover their interests and strengths and can tailor their teaching accordingly. This means your child is more likely to enjoy learning and feel motivated to study independently.

For more about the different ways our tutors help children to learn please read our blog post, What makes a good tutor?

4. My child will feel they don’t deserve success

Sometimes parents are concerned that their child will feel their success isn’t deserved if they’ve received support from a tutor. However, nothing is further from the truth. Children must still put in all the work and effort required to succeed – nobody else can do that for them.

Children’s success is their own and completely deserved. Our tutors are here to steer them in the right direction, to encourage them and to cheer them on. They celebrate children’s successes with them!

5. My child won’t feel responsible if they don’t pass their exams

As we talked about above, a child’s success is their own. If they don’t achieve the pass they hoped for it’s normal for them to feel self-doubt.

A tutor can help them to stay calm, remind them what they already know and gently guide them back on track. The tutor will empower them by supporting them to make and follow a plan that will help them achieve the result they would like next time.

Are you interested in one-to-one tuition?

Hopefully we have addressed some myths about tutoring and put your mind at rest. However, if you are considering tutoring for your child and you still have concerns, please get in touch for a chat at hello@tutormykids.co.uk

Our warm, friendly tutors are skilled teachers who are dedicated to helping your child succeed.

We offer tuition in English, maths, sciences, humanities and languages to children in Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket and the surrounding areas.

National Read a Book Day: children’s pirate stories

Posted on by Claire Hewson

National Read a Book Day and Talk Like a Pirate Day are both in September. To celebrate, we’ve reviewed our favourite pirate stories for children. From classic tales of swashbuckling adventures to recently published stories starring up-to-date heroes and heroines, we hope you’ll find something your child will enjoy.

Most children love a pirate story because they are thrilling, escapist tales that ignite the imagination. Your child might even be inspired to design their own pirate ship, invent a pirate costume or make up silly pirate names.

What better way to foster a love of reading and help your child’s creativity to flourish than with a pirate adventure?

Pirate stories for National Read a Book Day

Children 9 years +

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Puffin Classics

Although this is a children’s version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic story, the text hasn’t been changed. It’s a bloodthirsty tale with good characters as well as villains getting killed. If a cinema version of this Puffin Classic was made it definitely wouldn’t be a ‘U’!

After the death of the evil pirate, Captain Flint, a young boy called Jim Hawkins finds himself in possession of a treasure map. Unfortunately, a band of villainous buccaneers are also after the map. To win the day, Jim Hawkins must outsmart the most famous and sneaky pirate of all, Long John Silver. Although Silver genuinely warms to Jim, he’s a pirate first and foremost, so he has a heart of cold, hard gold.

The main advantage of choosing this Puffin version rather than any other is that it includes profiles of all the characters, so children know who’s who before they read. There are also activities at the end of the book to encourage children to bring the adventure to life.

Comic Classics: Treasure Island

By Jack Noel

This comic-strip version of Treasure Island makes the action-packed classic easier to follow. This version is true to the original and it really conveys suspense and excitement as the plot twists and turns.

We think this graphic version is a great choice for children who need extra support with reading. Children who wouldn’t usually dive into a classic story because of the more complex language might be encouraged to try the original once they know the story.

The BBC Teach website has short videos that tell the story of Treasure Island. Although the website is for schools, it’s a great introduction to Treasure Island for children who need extra help with the comic-strip version. An even better introduction is to watch a stage production. Type ‘Treasure Island on stage’ into a search engine and see what comes up!

Antigua de Fortune of the High Seas

By Anna Rainbow and Oli Hyatt

If you’re looking for a pirate story with a strong female character, this is it! Tiggy dreams of mermaids and ocean adventures. As a well-to-do girl who lives on the Isle of Fortune she’s forced to behave like a lady. Her wild, curly hair is combed straight and she’s made to wear pretty dresses.

Then one day the Pirate King, the most evil of all buccaneers, kidnaps the boys on the Isle of Fortune. Tiggy is determined to rescue them, particularly her little brother. The story has all the excitement and magic of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean with battles on the high seas, fast-paced action and high emotion.

If your child wants to find out more about female pirates after reading this story you could visit the Pirate Quest website. Here you’ll find short biographies of the most famous pirates of the Golden Age including Anne Bonny. If your child would like to learn about Ann, there’s a graphic children’s novel all about her called Anne Bonny: Pirate Queen of the Caribbean by Christina Leaf.

More pirate stories for older children

There are so many fantastic pirate-themed stories for older children that we couldn’t review them all. We also recommend the following:

Children over the age of 8 may enjoy the classic story, Peter Pan by J M Barrie. If you can obtain an original version with Mabel Lucie Attwell’s gorgeous illustrations, all the better.

Secondary school aged children may like Pirates! by Celia Rees. It’s the story of two girls, Nancy and Minerva, who escape their oppressive lives and become pirates. Many readers won’t be able to put this book down, so watch out for torches under the bedcovers!

Pirate stories for children 4+

Pick A Story: A Pirate + Alien + Jungle Adventure

By Sarah Coyle and Adam Walker-Parker

Pick your own adventure books are normally for older children, but here the format has been successfully used in a picture book.

Vincent has lost his dog, Trouble. To help Vincent find Trouble the reader must make choices. Will they decide to take Vincent on a pirate adventure, or will they take another path? There are so many possibilities that children can have a different adventure every time they pick up the book.

The interactive nature of this picture book makes it truly unique. With each twist and turn of the plot there’s another exciting decision to make.

Rockabye Pirate

By Timothy Knapman and Ada Grey

It’s time for pirates to go to sleep.  After reluctantly having a bath and cleaning their teeth, the pirates settle down to listen to Mummy’s story. They go to sleep dreaming of wild pirate parties, walking the plank, and snaffling treasure with a ‘yo-ho-ho!’. 

The story is told in rhyme to the tune of ‘Rock-a-Bye Baby’, so children can build confidence in reading by predicting how each sentence will end and joining in.

This is a great picture book for showing children the importance of having a good night’s sleep. Even pirates need their sleep.  How else would they have the energy for tomorrow’s adventures and misdemeanours? 

Reading tuition with TutorMyKids

TutorMyKids English tutors are qualified teachers who are passionate about reading. Whether your child is at primary school and needs a boost with their reading, or they are studying GCSE or A Level English and would benefit from extra support, we have the right tutor to help them succeed.

Please contact us today on 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

What makes a good tutor?

Posted on by Claire Hewson

The best tutors genuinely love their work and are fully committed to helping students achieve their potential.

Here we take a deeper dive into what makes a good tutor. This list is drawn from our many years of experience at Tutor My Kids.

A qualified teacher

The best tutors are qualified teachers because they:

  • Understand the curriculum so they teach the student what they need to know.
  • Can adapt their teaching to the student’s learning styles and level because they have experience of teaching different age ranges and abilities.
  • Can use assessment to inform the next steps of the student’s learning.
  • Can personalize learning to the student and teach in a way that is engaging to them.

At Tutor My Kids, all our tutors are qualified, experienced teachers who know exactly how to help students reach their full potential.

Takes time to get to know a student

Unlike a teacher with a large class, a private tutor can really get to know their student. By understanding a student’s strengths, weaknesses, interests and learning styles they can plan and deliver the most effective lessons.

A great tutor listens to their student, shows a genuine interest in what they say and builds a rapport with them.

When a student is comfortable with a tutor, they are more likely to be engaged in lessons and ask questions to further their learning. They are also more likely to take on board on their tutor’s constructive feedback, so they continually improve.

Adapts their lessons in response to the student

A good tutor will pick up on how a student is feeling on a particular day and adapt their lessons accordingly. There may be some days when a student is feeling more motivated than others, for varying personal reasons.

It is important that a tutor can change their plans on the spot without losing sight of the student’s goals. For example, if a student needs a confidence boost on a particular day, the tutor might start the lesson with a familiar topic or a learning game the student enjoys.  

Makes lessons relevant

To have the motivation to do their best, every student needs to be able to see the point of what they are learning. For many students the reason will be “to pass an exam”, but a great tutor can make learning so much more than that.

At Tutor My Kids we use a variety of approaches to make lessons relevant to students. Our tutors connect learning to each student’s individual interests and real-life experiences as far as possible. A child might be helped to improve their grammar skills by reading and writing about football or by writing about a recent trip to Legoland, for instance.

We make sure students have ownership of their learning by offering them choices when we can. For example, if they are learning about life in restoration England for GCSE History, we may start by asking what they want to find out. Do they want to learn more about the slave trade, women’s daily life or the theatre, for example?

Provides constructive feedback

Constructive feedback is important so a student can progress, and delivering feedback constructively is a skill. There needs to be a healthy blend of praise to encourage a student to keep going alongside suggestions for improvement.

Unlike a teacher with a large class a private tutor can deliver feedback both in writing and face-to-face all the time. The tone and style in which feedback is delivered is important to ensure a student fully understands what they need to do to improve and at the same time retains a positive ‘can do’ attitude.  

Students need regular, clear feedback to know how they are progressing and what steps they need to take to achieve their goals.

Motivates their student

Making mistakes is part of learning. Our tutors help their students to understand that an incorrect answer is a learning opportunity.

As Henry Ford apparently said, “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” If people didn’t learn from mistakes we wouldn’t have the motorcar, the lightbulb and even Walt Disney’s cartoons!

Teaches a student how to learn

Knowing how to learn is a skill for life. Our tutors teach students of all ages learning techniques that work for them which they can continue to use in future.

For example, if a child is learning to spell, their tutor might teach them a mnemonic such as “Big elephants can always understand small elephants” to spell ‘because’. This is a technique they can use to learn all kinds of tricky words.

A student who needs to retain information to pass GCSE biology might be advised to read their revision notes and then write themselves quiz questions to answer. This method can be applied to most other exam subjects.

These are just two examples of techniques our tutors teach. Knowing how to learn is the key to being a confident, independent and successful learner.

We know what makes a good tutor

At Tutor My Kids all our tutors have been personally interviewed by Managing Director, Rachel Law.

Rachel is a qualified and experienced teacher herself, so she understands what makes a good tutor. Over the last 11 years she has built a team of talented tutors who share her passion for helping children who need extra support.

If you think your child would benefit from the support of a qualified, one-to-one tutor, please do get in touch with us on 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

Cricket games to play at home

Posted on by Claire Hewson

Cricket is a great game for children to play in the garden or the local park. As well as developing their physical fitness, balance and hand-eye co-ordination it can improve social skills because it’s a team sport.

Another reason to encourage children to play cricket is because of the positive role models like James Anderson and Heather Knight. We all know that good role models for children are not always easy to find in the sporting world!

Being outside in the fresh air with a bat and ball is what summer holidays were made for. So, read on for some cricket games to play at home with family and friends.

What equipment do you need?

All you need is a garden cricket set with a soft ball (not a hard cricket ball), which you can buy for a few pounds online or in a shop like Home Bargains.

Cricket games to play at home

  1. French cricket

French cricket is very easy, and any child can play once they have learnt to throw and catch a small ball.

All players stand in a semicircle around the batsman (the person with the bat). The batsman holds the bat in front of their legs and uses it as a kind of shield. The other players take turns to have a go at getting the batsman ‘out’.

To get the batsman out a player must throw the ball at the batsman and either hit them with the ball beneath their knees or catch the ball. The player who gets the batsman out is the next batsman.

2. Fielding game

One person is the batsman, one person is the bowler and everyone else is a fielder.

All players make a semicircle around the batsman (the bowler stands in the semicircle opposite the batsman). The bowler throws the ball to the batsman who must hit it so one of the fielders catches it. The batsman must try to hit the ball so that every fielder has a turn catching it.

Once all the fielders have caught the ball, change players.

3. Roll and stop

This is a game that can be played with only two players – a batsman and a bowler. The batsman stands with their legs apart and holds the bat between their legs.

The bowler rolls the ball along the ground to the batsman who must try to stop it with the bat (without moving their legs). It’s a great game for developing hand-eye coordination.

4. Caterpillar catch

Divide players into two teams. The teams stand in parallel lines facing each other. The teams need to stand a good throwing and catching distance apart.

Team A (it doesn’t matter which team this is) starts with the ball. A player standing on one end of the line in Team A throws the ball to the Team B player standing opposite them. As soon as they’ve thrown the ball, they run to the other end of the Team A line. They must run on the outside of the line rather than the inside, so they don’t get hit by the ball.

As the Team A player runs to the end of their line, the player in Team B who caught the ball throws it to the next player in Team A (who is standing almost opposite them in a diagonal). The Team B player now runs to the other end of the Team B line.

The game continues until the Team A and Team B players who started the game are at the front of their lines again.

5. Cricket rounders

Play rounders but with a cricket set!

6. Garden cricket

For garden cricket you need a cricket bat, ball and stumps. You can use a jumper or a coat for the ‘base’ that the batsman runs to.

For clear instructions, watch this YouTube video, How to play cricket.

Is your child interested in cricket?

If your child wants to learn to play cricket, here are some local clubs you could check out:

City of Cambridge Cricket Club, City of Ely Cricket Club and Newmarket Cricket Club. All three clubs offer coaching to children of school age and the emphasis is on socializing, having fun and learning new skills.

All Stars Cricket. This is for children aged 5-8 years old. All Stars run clubs across Cambridgeshire during cricket season. We recommend looking at their parent’s page where they share lots of games and tips.

Dynamos Cricket. This is like All Stars Cricket, but it’s for 8-11-year-olds. Dynamos play countdown cricket which is a simplified and fast-paced version of ordinary cricket.

World Chocolate Day

Posted on by Claire Hewson

It’s World Chocolate Day! Did you know that across the world we eat more than 3 billion kilograms of chocolate every year? That’s equivalent to 789,473 hippos!

Although chocolate has been part of our lives for some 2,000 years, how much do we really know about it? Here are some activities you can do at home with your child to find out more, plus some scrumptious recipes to try.

How is chocolate made?

Watch A beginners guide to bean-to-bar chocolate to find out how chocolate is harvested from beans in Hawaii and turned into chocolate bars in a local factory.

You could make some picture cards of the ‘bean to bar’ process for your child to order by cutting up  the bean-to-bar infographic on the Readcacao website. Can your child tell you a little bit about each part of the process? There is some information below the infographic which they could read to find out more.

What is Fairtrade?

In the UK most of the cocoa beans that make our chocolate come from the Ivory Coast and Ghana. The chocolate industry is worth £3.7bn pounds, but many cocoa farmers in these countries are paid very little and live in poverty.

Fairtrade was set up to protect farmers by making sure they are never paid less than a certain price for their harvest. Farmers also receive a Fairtrade Premium which is extra money they can use to benefit their communities. For example, they might buy a tap, so everyone has access to clean water.

You could find out more about Fairtrade with your child by visiting the Fairtrade website and watching Life on a Fairtrade cocoa farm. Your child could draw the Fairtrade certification mark to help them identify Fairtrade chocolate bars next time they are shopping.

Who can win the World Chocolate Day quiz?

Make up your own family quiz about chocolate based on these 10 fun facts about chocolate you never knew! and everything you have all learnt so far about how chocolate is made and Fairtrade.

The prize? A piece of chocolate for each correct answer?

Favourite recipes for chocolate lovers

These are some of our favourite, quick and easy chocolate recipes. We hope you all enjoy cooking and tucking in together.

Chocolate Mousse

50g chocolate (we recommend dark chocolate but choose your favourite!)

20g icing sugar

40g unsalted butter

20g cocoa powder

2 medium eggs, separated into yolks and whites

50ml whipping cream

  1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water.
  2. When the chocolate has melted add the icing sugar, egg yolks, cocoa powder and butter. Beat the mixture together until it’s smooth.
  3. In another bowl whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
  4. Fold the egg whites and the whipping cream into the chocolate mixture.
  5. Pour the mousse into a bowl and chill for 2-3 hours.

Best ever chocolate cake

Cake:

200ml milk

1 tsp lemon juice

100g unsalted butter

175g caster sugar

2 large eggs

½ tsp vanilla essence

200g plain flour

4tbsp cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

Icing:

50g unsalted butter

1 egg yolk (large)

100g chocolate

100g icing sugar

  1. Preheat the oven to 1900C/gas mark 5.
  2. Put all the cake ingredients into a blender and whizz into a smooth batter.
  3. Divide the mixture into two 8 inch cake tins and bake for 25 minutes or until the cakes are springy when touched.
  4. Leave the cakes to cool.
  5. When the cakes are cool, make the icing by whizzing all the icing ingredients together in a blender.
  6. Sandwich the cakes together with the icing.

Chocolate biscuits

1 egg (large)

125g self-raising flour

175g plain flour

175g unsalted butter

175g caster sugar

200g chocolate spread (be careful with nut allergies here)

  1. Preheat the oven to 1800C/gas mark 4.
  2. Put all the ingredients, except the chocolate spread, into a blender and mix until it forms a dough.
  3. Roll the dough, a bit at a time, into small balls in the palms of your hands. Each ball should be roughly 1 inch in diameter.
  4. Gently flatten each ball onto a greased baking tray.
  5. Make a dent in each ball with your thumb.
  6. Fill the dent with about 1 tsp of chocolate spread.
  7. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden.

Is your child curious about the world?

Has your child enjoyed learning about World Chocolate Day? Whatever your child’s interests, TutorMyKids can help them to explore their passion further or engage them in other subjects through their area of interest.

We offer tuition in English, maths, humanities and languages to children in Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket and the surrounding areas.

To find out more about one-to-one tuition please contact 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

How to prepare your child for leaving school

Posted on by Claire Hewson

Are you wondering how to prepare your child for leaving school at 16 or 18? Leaving school is a major milestone in your child’s life which can be both exciting and daunting. Here we share some practical ways you can help them.

1. Talk about the choices available to them

Children who turn 16 years old by the end of the school summer holiday can leave school on the last Friday of June that year. However, until they are 18, they must do one of the following:

  • Continue full-time education in sixth form or college.
  • Begin a traineeship or apprenticeship.
  • Start part-time education or training, and at the same time spend at least 20 hours a week either in paid or voluntary work.

The National Careers Service webpage gives more information about these options.

At the age of 18 young people have two additional choices: they can take a gap year or apply for a job.

2. Help your child to live independently

Even if your child is only 16 years old it is still a good idea to start preparing them to live independently.

You can help by supporting them with:

Money management

Consider involving your child in planning the family budget. For example, they could help with food shopping and choosing the best deals. Share with them how you manage your monthly bills and plan your money.

Understanding money will prevent your child from developing a ‘pay day millionaire’ mindset. This is where they spend most of their wages or student loan as soon as they receive it. Please see our blog post, Going to university? 10 top tips for managing your finances.

Time management

This is an important life skill whatever your child’s future plans. Our blog post about time management is full of tips.

Cleaning and laundry

Make your child responsible for their own cleaning and laundry. By doing so you save their future housemates from mouldy towels in the bathroom and dirty dishes left in the sink!

You could talk about eco-friendly washing (washing at low temperatures, air drying rather than using the tumble drier etc.) and explain that supermarket brand cleaners are just as effective as named brands and less expensive. In fact, there is nothing better for scrubbing sinks than good, old-fashioned cream cleaner.

Cooking

Asking your child to plan and cook family meals for the week is great practice but may be a little ambitious. Instead, you could buy them a student cookbook or another simple cookbook so they can make a range of healthy lunches and dinners for themselves.

Making new friends

Making friends can be a big worry for any teenager leaving home for the first time. Reassure your child that they have made friends before and so it is a skill they already have.

At university everybody is in the same boat, so it is a little bit easier to make friends than entering the world of work where everyone knows each other. For some easy tips we recommend 20 proven ways to make friends at work.

Keeping safe

As well as teaching your child about internet safety it is important to make sure they know how to stay safe when they are out and about. Here are some strategies to share with them:

  • Make sure you are always aware of what is going on around you. Do not wear headphones when you are walking about.
  • Make sure you have the phone numbers of emergency contacts (friends and/or family members) to hand when you are out as well as your mobile phone.
  • If you are walking at night keep to busy well-lit streets. Avoid short cuts down lanes and across fields.
  • Choose bus stops on busy roads rather than secluded spots.
  • If you think someone is following you, immediately go somewhere that is busier like a shop or busy street.
  • Carry a whistle or alarm around your neck as a deterrent.
  • Keep valuables out of sight. For example, do not put a purse or mobile phone in the back pocket of a backpack or carry it in your hand.
  • Do not fight if someone tries to steal something from you as they might have a knife.
  • Always tell somebody if you think you are in danger or if you are being bullied. Never suffer in silence.
  • Remember to lock doors when you’re in and when you’re out. Close windows before you go out.

Your child could also download a personal safety app such as HollyGuard. For more safety tips, please see Brighton & Hove BHSCP webpage.

3. Organise college/university visits, volunteering or work experience

College/university visits

Colleges and universities organise open days and tours. Some offer masterclasses and taster sessions so potential students can sample courses for themselves. It is a good idea for your child to visit a college so they can get a real feel for it. There is only so much they can find out from brochures and websites.

If your child has missed an open day do not worry. Colleges and universities are usually happy to arrange tours and visits at other times.

Volunteering

Volunteering is a great idea if your child is unsure of their next step. As well as being a confidence booster, it is a brilliant way to gain transferrable skills that will enhance their employment prospects. Working as a team with people of different ages, backgrounds and interests; communication skills; problem solving skills and learning to organise tasks are some of the skills your child could gain.

Find volunteering opportunities through the Gov.uk volunteering website.

Work experience

Work experience can be arranged by asking your child’s school whether they have links with relevant employers. Your child could also apply speculatively to an employer of their choice.

4. Support your child to write their CV

An outstanding CV and covering letter are vital, especially when employers receive hundreds of CVs every day. The Barclays Life Skills website has some brilliant tips and tools to help your child.

It is important to tailor a covering letter and CV to an individual employer. Although this takes effort it makes an enormous difference. Encourage your child to carefully analyse the job description and find out more about the employer through their website. Your child should make sure the employer knows they have the skills and personal qualities they are looking for.

How to prepare your child for leaving school – further tips

We recommend the following websites:

My World of Work: https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/pupils

Career options for school leavers: https://www.allaboutschoolleavers.co.uk/parents/school-leaver-options

The National Careers Service helpline for teenagers: https://www.gov.uk/careers-helpline-for-teenagers

Is your child sitting exams next year? TutorMyKids can help to prepare your child by supporting them through their GCSEs, A Levels or A/S Levels. Please contact us on 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee ideas for children at home

Posted on by Claire Hewson

Queen Elizabeth II has reigned for 70 years which makes her the longest reigning British monarch, and the longest reigning female monarch in history. The Platinum Jubilee is an anniversary of her ascension to the throne on 2nd June 1953.

Here we share some Queen’s Platinum Jubilee ideas you might like to try at home with your child. We hope you enjoy the celebrations!

Find out about the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

Does your child know what the Platinum Jubilee is? For young children, this short film called Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee by Miss Ellis explains everything they might like to know.

For older children, Queen Elizabeth: World’s longest-reigning monarch from India Today gives them key facts and an insight into what the Platinum Jubilee is all about.

If your child wants to learn about the Queen’s life story and more about her role, we recommend Queen Elizabeth II (A Life Story) by Sally Morgan and Our Queen Elizabeth: Her Extraordinary Life by Kate William for children from age 8 upwards. Busy Royal Family by Campbell Books is great for very young children.

Sing the UK National Anthem

We may take it for granted that our children know the National Anthem, but we may be surprised. As it is part of our heritage, there is no better time to learn it than now.

There are lots of versions of the National Anthem available on YouTube, but like everything on YouTube it’s important to watch it yourself first for internet safety reasons.

Go exploring

There are plenty of historic royal buildings to visit both in London and outside London including Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the Tower of London, Balmoral and Sandringham – to name just a few.

Don’t worry if you cannot make a trip out because there are virtual tours available either on the websites or on YouTube.

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee ideas: arts and crafts

Here are a few of our favourite Jubilee-themed arts and crafts

Crown Jewels

Your child could make necklaces, bracelets or charms by threading beads onto elastic.

Red, white and blue beads can be bought very cheaply from Ebay and other places online. Your child could thread these beads in random or repeating patterns.

Alternatively, they might use gold, silver and sparkling beads to make jewels fit for royalty.

Flag buns

Make these easy buns and then decorate them with red, white and blue icing for a Union Jack.

To make the buns, preheat an oven to 1800C/1600 fan. Simply mix 100g caster sugar, 100g self-raising flour, 100g soft butter, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence in a food processor. Spoon the mixture into 12 cake cases and bake for 20 minutes.

Once the cupcakes are cool, decorate them as Union Jacks. Start by covering the top of each cake with a layer of pale blue buttercream. Make buttercream by mixing 600g of sifted icing sugar with 300g of soft butter and then adding a few drops of blue food colouring.

Once the cakes are covered in blue icing, criss-cross lines of red and white fondant icing (which you can buy in tubes from supermarkets) across each cake to make a Union Jack. It may be helpful for your child to have a picture of a Union Jack in front of them.

Hama bead Union Jack

If your child has enough red, white and blue Hama beads at home they could create this Union Jack coaster. Huge tubs of Hama beads can be bought very reasonably online.

Platinum Jubilee fortune teller

Do you remember making an origami fortune teller when you were a child? Here are some instructions from Red Ted Art and a template to make a Jubilee-themed fortune teller.

Queen’s crown

We love this crown from Today’s Parent which is made from craft pipe-cleaners. It is a bit fiddly though and it’s definitely a craft for older children.

For younger children, make a crown by cutting a wide cardboard strip to fit around the circumference of their head (a large cereal box is perfect for this). Your child can decorate the strip with anything they like – photos cut from magazines, stickers, craft supplies you have at home, leaves from the garden etc. When they’ve finished decorating, tape or staple the strip into a loop around their head.

Union Jack garland

This Union Jack garland craft is brilliant for practicing fine motor skills and patience.

Children weave red, white and blue wool around a cardboard template to make a Union Jack design. If they do not want to make a whole garland, they can just make one to hang.

Windsor Castle

Make Windsor Castle (or any castle really!). All you need are cardboard tubes, old cereal boxes and other miscellaneous packaging you would otherwise recycle. For inspiration, type ‘easy simple cardboard castle’ into Google Images.

As an alternative to using hot glue, your child could use a cold glue gun to fix boxes together or masking tape which is easier to paint over than cellotape.

So that your child does not have to paint over shiny print, carefully peel boxes apart and turn them inside out, fixing them back together with tape or glue.

Royal guards

How about making some lolly stick guards to play with in the castle? All your child needs are wooden lolly sticks which you can save or buy online, a black and a red felt tipped pen, a gold marker pen, black craft pom-poms and glue dots.

Does your child love learning?

Whether your child has a passion for a certain subject, or they need help with a specific area of learning, TutorMyKids can help.

Our tutors build on children’s interests and passions and boost their confidence so they develop a ‘can do’ attitude. When children are enthusiastic, motivated and determined we know they are more likely to reach the highest standards of achievement.

We offer tuition in English, maths, humanities and languages to children in Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket and the surrounding areas.

To find out more about one-to-one tuition please contact 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

Would your child benefit from one to one tuition?

Posted on by Claire Hewson

Are you wondering whether your child needs one to one tuition? Here we share a few examples of circumstances where a child could gain significantly from individual tuition and what a tutor would do to help them.

A tutor can help if your child is struggling academically

The school curriculum is jam-packed and fast paced. Although teachers try to ensure every child understands a concept before they move on, in a class of at least thirty children it is very difficult to personalize learning.

The problem is that once a child has gaps in their learning they can fall further behind. As an example, if your child’s class has moved on to algebra before your child has fully understood operations like adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing then they are going to find algebra very hard.

Everybody has areas in life where they excel and others that they find more challenging. Continuing with maths as an example, some children take a bit longer to understand concepts than others. This simply means they need more time and concepts may need to be taught in a slightly different way.

A tutor can help your child by first identifying gaps in their learning. Then they will move at your child’s own pace to fill those gaps. They will not take the next step until your child is ready.

Signs your child may be struggling at school

There are a number of signs that might indicate your child is struggling academically. However, other difficulties such as bullying or arguments with friends, for example, could also result in these signs.

  • Your child used to talk freely about school, but they have suddenly stopped.
  • Their attitude towards school has changed. If they say they are bored, for instance, it could be that the work is too difficult so they have switched off, or because it isn’t challenging enough.
  • They complain of physical symptoms such as headaches or stomach aches, and/or they are not eating or sleeping well. These are classic signs of stress.
  • They spend a long time completing homework, perhaps because it is too difficult.
  • They misbehave at school. Misbehaviour can stem from boredom which may indicate an issue with work.
  • They receive poor reports from teachers or low marks.

If you think your child has a problem at school, you will want to find out more. Your child may tell you themselves and the school should help.

If it transpires that your child is finding their work difficult, then the school should be able to pinpoint where their difficulties lie. You could then pass this information on to a home tutor, who will also carry out their own assessment.

Children who lack focus can achieve with a tutor

Some children do not have academic difficulties, but they just do not work at their best in a busy classroom. They may be distracted by friends or just need a quieter room to work in. A lack of focus can have a significant impact on academic achievement.

With a tutor focused entirely on them in a quiet space with no distractions, your child can thrive, particularly if tutoring sessions are arranged at a time that suits them. For example, a young adult may get more from a tutoring session later in the day than early in the morning.

A tutor can help your child to learn how to learn

Every child has their own learning style and a tutor will get to know whether your child leans more towards an auditory, kinesthetic or a visual learning style. They will find the learning techniques that work best for your child and teach them how to use those techniques effectively.

‘Learning how to learn’ is a fundamental skill that sets a child up for life. It is not only important when revising for exams but for every aspect of life. The earlier they master the best learning techniques for them the better.

One-to-one tuition benefits children who love learning

If your child has a passion for a certain subject or a particular topic a tutor can nurture this. In school there is little time to dive deeply into specific subjects because there is so much to cover.

At TutorMyKids our tutors are qualified teachers who have specialist subjects. Whatever your child’s fascination, whether it is engineering, zoology, creative writing, a specific period in history, geology or something else we will do our best to match them with the right tutor.

As well as this, our tutors make learning any subject more interesting by linking it to a child’s interests wherever possible. If your child listens to a certain artist’s music then the lyrics might be used in an English lesson to help them to understand metaphors or similes, for instance.

Would you like to find out more about one to one tuition?

Whether your child needs a little extra help with their schoolwork, a confidence boost, or they have a passion for a subject they would like to explore further, we can help.

We offer tuition in English, maths, science, humanities and languages to children in Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket and the surrounding areas.

To find out more about one to one tuition please contact 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

How children can get published

Posted on by Claire Hewson

For young, budding authors getting published is a dream come true. If you want to encourage your child to write, seeing their work in print is a great motivator. Alternatively, if your child has written a story and they would like to see it in print – they can!

Here we share how children can get published and the skills they will learn along the way.

For young children

Here are some ways young children can see their stories in print. These ideas are a brilliant for motivating a reluctant writer too.

Tell a story with photos

Can your child tell a story with their toys? For example, if they have a dragon, can they invent a story starring their dragon? Your child could start by planning the story on paper as a story map or just tell the story verbally. When they are happy with the plot, they can physically create the scenes with their toys and take photographs of each scene.

Photographs can be uploaded onto Photobox and text added to create their very own book.

Create a comic

Children can create their own comics with Make Beliefs Comics . We also recommend the Cat Kid comic creator from Scholastic.

If your child has read the story Charlotte’s Web, they might like to create their own version of the story using this comic creator tool.

For older children

Self-publish a book

Over the years many children have successfully seen their books in print. Just have a look at this list of child authors as inspiration!

Self-publishing a book is a brilliant learning experience because it requires a whole host of skills: organization, perseverance and problem-solving as well as the English skills needed to write a book in the first place. There are plenty of free self-publishing companies you can use.

When it comes to self-publishing, it is important to do your homework first. The best starting place for advice is Derek Haines article, Just Publishing Advice.  If your child wants to self-publish their book you will need to work in partnership with them as a child cannot enter into a legal or financial contract with a publisher in their own right.

Submit to BBC Upload

BBC Upload is a chance to upload content and share it with a local BBC radio station. Only children over the age of 16 can upload content, and they must have permission from their parent of guardian.

Content such as stories, poems, reviews, diaries, blogs and podcasts can be uploaded and shared. The BBC watches everything that is uploaded, and they choose the very best to be broadcast on air or on their digital platforms.

Publish a book review

Although we have included this in the ‘older children’ category, children of all ages can publish a book review. When an older child writes a book review it is helpful to encourage them to use the thesaurus to search for descriptive words they may need.

There are plenty of websites online that publish book reviews written by children. The Storyroom is a popular UK website and reviews can be sent to helena@storyroom.co.uk. Make sure your child reads reviews on the website first, so they know what to do.

Write a blog

If your child is 13 years old or over, they could start their own blog. However, it is very important to be aware of internet safety and to know how to keep your child safe. As a starting point we recommend reading this fantastic article Kids Who Blog by Reading Rockets.

The best thing about writing a blog is that your child can share their passion for anything they like with other people. They can dip in and out of blogging as they feel like it, but if they want to build an audience, they will find that posting interesting content regularly is the key. Perseverance and quality are very important.

Write for your favourite magazine

Many children’s magazines publish letters, reviews and stories written by children. A child – of any age – could submit a contribution to their favourite magazine.

An older child who writes to a high standard (a strong A Level English student, for example) might consider submitting a standard article to their favourite magazine. The children’s magazine Aquila,, for instance, publishes articles on animals, historical figures and science topics and your child might feel they could contribute. It is important to study the articles in the magazine first by carefully analysing the style of writing, how articles are structured and the tone of writing. It is also essential to follow a magazine’s submission guidelines.

English tuition with TutorMyKids

TutorMyKids English tutors are qualified English teachers who are passionate about their subject. They love reading, writing, film and theatre and they are dedicated to inspiring children.

Whether your child is at primary school and needs a boost with their reading or writing, or they are studying GCSE or A Level English and would benefit from extra support, we have the right tutor to help them succeed.

Please contact us today on 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk

National Vegetarian Week: Great recipes for children

Posted on by Claire Hewson

It’s National Vegetarian Week from 16th – 22nd May which is about raising awareness of how we can all help the planet by eating a more veggie-based diet. Cutting back on meat is one way we can reduce our carbon emissions and save many animals and plants from extinction.

The problem for parents, however, is that children don’t always like to eat vegetables. So, we are here to help you with these quick, easy and delicious recipes for National Vegetarian Week.

If you can get your child involved with cooking, then they are even more likely to enjoy and appreciate different food.

Hidden vegetable pasta sauce

Ingredients:

1 x 400g can tomatoes

1 x tbsp tomato puree

1 x onion

½ stick of celery

1 x leek

½ apple

A handful of any other vegetables you choose (mushrooms, broccoli, green beans etc.)

1 x tsp mixed herbs

1 x tbsp oil (or a knob of butter or margarine)

200ml vegetable stock

Method:

  1. Roughly chop all the vegetables, except the onion, and put into a food processor.
  2. Dice the onion and fry until golden.
  3. Whilst the onion is frying add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and blitz until you have made a pasta sauce.
  4. Add the pasta sauce to the pan with the onion and give a quick stir.
  5. Cover the pan and leave on a medium-low heat to simmer for 25 minutes. Cook pasta at the same time.

Cheese tart

Ingredients:

1 x packet ready-rolled puff pastry

1 x punnet (or 2 large handfuls) of plum tomatoes

150g goat’s cheese

1 x tbsp of fresh thyme (finely chopped)

1 x clove garlic (finely chopped)

2 x tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 1900C/3750F.
  2. Place the rolled-out pastry on a greased baking tray.
  3. Mix the goat’s cheese, thyme and garlic in a bowl with a little salt and pepper.
  4. Spread the goat’s cheese mixture on the pastry about 1cm from the edges.
  5. Slice the tomatoes and spread them over the cheese mixture in rows.
  6. Drizzle the tart with olive oil and a season with salt and pepper.
  7. Bake for around 50 minutes, or until the pastry is golden.

Vegetarian Shepherd’s pie

Ingredients:

Mashed potato for the topping (made from about 3 medium sized potatoes)

1 x onion

2 x cloves garlic

1 x carrot

2 x tsp mixed herbs

190g cooked green or brown lentils

2 x tbsp cornflour

3 x tbsp soy sauce

200g (or ½ a can) tinned tomatoes

250ml vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

Handful of grated cheese

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 2000C/4000F.
  2. Finely chop the onion, garlic and carrot and fry in a little oil, butter or margarine until softened.
  3. Add the herbs, lentils, cornflour, tomatoes, and soy sauce and stir well.
  4. Slowly add the stock and a little salt and pepper.
  5. Stir the mixture until it boils.
  6. Pour the mixture into an ovenproof dish and top with mashed potato.
  7. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes.

Winter soup

Ingredients

85g red or brown lentils

2 x tbsp tomato puree

2 x carrots

3 x celery sticks

2 x leeks

3 x tsp mixed herbs

2 x cloves garlic

3 x tsp vegetable bouillon

1 x tsp ground coriander

Method:

  1. Boil 2 ½ pints of water (1.5 litres) in a large saucepan.
  2. Add all the ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

Butterbean stew

Ingredients:

2 x 400g cans butterbeans

1 x 400g can tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato puree

1 x onion

1 x carrot

Generous handful chopped parsley

Small handful mint

2 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp paprika

1 x tsp sugar

Method:

  1. Finely chop the onion, carrot, parsley and mint.
  2. Fry the onion, carrot and paprika in a little bit of oil until softened and slightly brown.
  3. Add the drained butterbeans and can of tomatoes to the pan.
  4. Half fill the empty tomato can with water and pour in.
  5. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the stew has thickened.
  6. Serve with warmed pitta bread and a leafy salad.

Did your child love our National Vegetarian Week recipes?

If your child loves to cook, you might like to read our other blog posts: Easy pancake recipes for kids and Fun ways to teach your child where food comes from.

At TutorMyKids we are dedicated to inspiring young people to learn new skills. Whether your child already has a passion for a certain subject, or they need a boost in a subject area we can help.

We offer tuition in English, maths, science, humanities and languages to children in Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket and the surrounding areas.

To find out more about one-to-one tuition please contact 01223 858 421 or hello@tutormykids.co.uk